


Secret Love Song

by iwillhaveamoonbase



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/M, Human AU, inspired by little mix's secret love song and the rayllum birthday bash prompt, with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25033198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwillhaveamoonbase/pseuds/iwillhaveamoonbase
Summary: Rayla gets a call that her boyfriend, Callum, is engaged to his childhood friend.
Relationships: Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 94





	Secret Love Song

_Why can't you hold me in the street?_

_Why can't I kiss you on the dance floor?_

_I wish that it could be like that_

_Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours_

Rayla sighed as Little Mix came on. ‘ _Irony. Love it_.’ The song rolled over her as the rain continued to pound against her window. The song hit like a freaking sucker punch to her stomach after the phone call with Viren she had just had. Her boyfriend, _her secret boyfriend_ , was magically engaged to his childhood friend, Claudia. ‘ _I thought Americans didn’t pull this shit. “Planned since childhood” my ass_.’

Rayla looked at her phone and opened it to view her lockscreen. A pair of the most captivating green eyes she had ever seen was staring back at her. A wide smile on his face as he held her close. A giant smile was on her own lips and she looked so relaxed it was almost difficult to remember this had been taken only a few days ago. They had been together for two and a half years and she had genuinely believed they were headed to marriage.

Callum had done a study abroad program in her native Scotland three years ago. They had become fast friends after a misunderstanding involving his art and someone choosing to deface it before the school art exhibition. The six months between then and the exhibition had been one filled with late night movies, study sessions, and Rayla trying to convince him that Chinese was the best takeaway while he always complained it wasn’t authentic enough. Rayla could still remember wearing a nice dress at that first art show as he presented something completely different than the defaced piece and losing her breath as he unveiled a traditional painting of her. There had been such love and devotion in his brushstrokes it had emboldened her to kiss him when he brought her back to her apartment. They had been together ever since, even with a giant ocean between them and being unable to go public.

‘Public.’ Rayla hated that word. Callum’s step-father was, unfortunately, deeply involved in American politics and was currently running for senator. While Harrow had been open to her, his campaign advisor and close friend, Viren, had discouraged the move. Rayla didn’t have the refined manners Viren believed was necessary for someone of Callum’s family’s status. She was a championship fencer at university and was working on starting a career in physical therapy after training to represent the UK in the next Olympics. Why wasn’t she good enough? Viren’s phone call had to be joke. 

_I don't wanna hide us away_

_Tell the world about the love we making_

_I'm living for that day, someday_

Rayla looked through her newsfeed and saw _it_. ‘ _Callum Evans is engaged to Claudia Nelson. The couple, currently vacationing in the Scottish countryside, were seen exiting a hotel together this morning_.’ No. This was impossible. Claudia was _gay_. She had a _girlfriend_. They had talked about her finally coming out to her dad. Rayla dropped her phone, screaming into the storm that was crashing against her windows. 

Rayla stood up, almost throwing the blanket Callum had given her off the couch. Her apartment was covered in his art and pictures of them. She refused to go into her bedroom. The amount of times she and Callum had made love in there…. She started to pace, startled when the mirror by the door showing her face was covered in tear tracks. She hadn’t cried this hard since her parents died in a car accident when she was eight and had been taken in by Runaan and Ethari. 

‘ _I don’t want to hide it anymore, Rayla. I love you. I don’t want anyone else_.’ Callum’s voice floated in her ear, reminding her of just yesterday when he had been over.

“SHUT UP!!!” Rayla opened the window. In a few minutes, she was drenched from the rain blowing in. “YOU LIED!” A few hiccupping sobs escaped her. “You lied…”

\---------------------------------

_Why can't I say that I'm in love?_

_I wanna shout it from the rooftops_

_I wish that it could be like that (I wish)_

_Why can't we be like that? Cause I'm yours_

Callum stared door at the carpet. “Viren, no. You can’t do this.”

Viren sighed, like Callum was a child and not a 22-year-old man. “Callum, you and Claudia are a much better match than you and Ms. Burrows.”

“Claudia’s in a relationship, too, you know.” Callum’s eyes widened a bit, playing it back in his head. ‘ _OK, didn’t out her_.’

“I’m aware. I told her to break it off. It’s unnecessary.”

“What is? Us being **happy**?” 

“Happiness is overrated.”

“Says the man who let his wife walk away because he was incapable of taking more time out for her.”

Viren was silent for a moment. Callum knew it was a low blow, but he didn’t care. “That was uncalled for.”

“I’m not marrying Claudia. I was planning on proposing to Rayla. The whole reason I came to Scotland for this vacation was to do that.” Claudia had tagged along to see her own girlfriend, but Callum had barely seen Claudia since they had landed at the airport.

“When are you going to realize there is no future there?”

“You’ve barely said two words to Rayla. How do you know there is no future there?”

“Because when I called her to tell her the news, she didn’t seem all that upset.”

Callum’s chest constricted. “You called _her_?”

“Well, someone had to.”

“Before telling me what you’re planning?”

“It’s going to be in all the major newspapers very soon. Ah. Speak of the devil. It’s already up.” Callum turned to his laptop and went to type his name in the search bar. First result was an announcement that he and Claudia were engaged. The picture was from this morning and from when he and Claudia had met by chance. She was off for another date and he was going to pick up Rayla’s ring from Ethari. It made been made with love by one of her fathers who, miraculously, had been alright with the possibility that Rayla might be moving thousands of miles away to live with him.

“I can’t believe you,” Callum hissed. “You had no right!” Lightning flashed out of the corner of his eye. “Tell them you lied. Does Claudia even know?”

“Not yet. She’ll be delighted, I’m sure. You two have always been close.”

“You know what, Viren? You and Claudia need to have a long conversation about what exactly would make her happy. But I can guarantee, it isn’t me. If you won’t tell the networks you made a mistake, I will.”

“You will go through with this. Your father’s campaign-”

“WHAT?! How will me marrying a potential OLYMPIAN ruin my father’s reputation? Explain that to me! She’s smart, worldly, humble, and she’s great at handling people even though she’s not a people person. What has she done that makes you so sure she would drag my family down? Because, from where I’m standing, she’s been nothing short of amazing. My art has only gotten better since she’s become my muse and she’s opened up my mind to so much more than I ever thought was possible. Ezran has started making more friends since they started having weekly Skype calls. Dad has started having stronger pro-immigrant and cultural exchange stances since we started dating. WHAT HAS SHE DONE THAT’S SO WRONG?!”

“She’s not one of us. She’s lower class, her family has nothing-”

“FUCK YOU. I have tried to respectful to you because you’ve done a lot for our family. I don’t know what happened to you, Viren, but you are not who you used to be. And I hope for your sake, and Soren and Claudia’s, you can find who you once were and be that person again. I am not marrying Claudia. Good-bye.” Callum hung-up before Viren could get in another word edgewise. “Shit.” Callum sighed for a moment, sitting on the bed. “I should have stayed with Rayla. Maybe if I had, when she got that call… FUCK.” Callum leapt off the bed, grabbing his rental keys and jacket as he ran out the door. “I’m coming, Rayla.”

\-----------------------------

_Why can't we be like that?_

_Wish we could be like that_

Rayla walked unsteadily down the street, silent sobs racking her body. The rain was pelting her and had neither a coat on or was using an umbrella. The streets were empty except for the occasional car. The rainstorm was keeping everyone inside. She was probably going to get sick, but she couldn’t be in that apartment. It was too full of happy, hopeful memories. Rayla ran a hand down her naked ring finger on her left hand. She had been so sure Callum was planning on proposing. ‘ _Maybe Viren’s talking out his ass?_ ’ 

Rayla kept almost calling Callum, to beg him to tell her that this was all part of some sick plot by Viren. But, her heart would probably give out if he told her it was true. She wasn’t sure she would survive seeing wedding pictures of Callum with anyone else. “I just want to hold you….why is that too much to ask?”

“It’s not.” Rayla almost didn’t hear him over the rain. She turned her head to see Callum, drenched, next to a still running car. “Ray…”

“Is it true?”

“No. Viren went ahead and did what he wanted.” Callum fumbled with his pocket. “FUCK. It’s back at the hotel. I got Ethari to make a ring for you.” Rayla’s heart stuttered for a beat before pounding in her chest. “Rayla Burrows, I don’t want anyone else. I’m so sorry about Viren, but he does not speak for me.” Callum stepped towards her, taking her had. “I don’t have the ring on me, but would you marry me? I’ll let you pick out the takeout every night, even awful Chinese, if you let me prove to you that _this_ was just a blip. I won’t let anyone come between us.”

Rayla looked into his eyes. “Promise?”

“Yes. I never wanted to keep us a secret and I am so, so sorry I let anyone convince me that it was for the best. I thought it would be better for you because my childhood was not always a happy one. The press is cruel and demanding. But you are the strongest, bravest, most wonderful, beautiful person I’ve ever met. I would be the biggest idiot on the planet if I let you go without begging you for a chance to make this up to you.”

“Yes.” 

“Yeah?” Callum’s eyes went wide as hope filled them.

“Yeah,” Rayla nodded. She could feel the tears combining with the rain as Callum pulled her into a kiss. When they finally pulled away, Rayla looked at the car. “My place?”

“Hotel first. I want to see that ring on your finger before anyone starts making absurd claims I’m cheating on Claudia.”

“Claudia. What are we going to do about that?”

“We’ll just call it a misunderstanding. I’m sure there’s enough video evidence throughout the city that proves we’ve barely interacted since landing.”

“OK. Take me to this ring you just promised me.”

“My pleasure.”

\-------------------------------

‘ _Yesterday, we announced Callum Evans was engaged to Claudia Nelson, the daughter of his father’s campaign advisor. This has been proven to be false. Apparently, Viren Nelson, Claudia’s father, accidently gave his daughter’s name when delivering the news that Callum was engaged to Rayla Burrows. Ms. Burrows is a Scottish fencer who is bound for the Olympics. The two have been in a relationship for two and a half years. Claudia Nelson is also engaged to her Australian-born, UK-based girlfriend, Zaras Smith. Congratulations to both happy couples_.’


End file.
